Health, Dental and Travel Insurance by Victor
News: MROO Members with Insurance Through Victor
Find out more about your Health, Dental and Annual Travel Renewals 2025 here.
Why You May Need Insurance
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers some, but not all medical services. It also does not provide dental and only includes limited emergency out-of-country medical coverage. Before you think about purchasing private insurance, you should become familiar with what OHIP offers as they are the first to pay claims for health insurance in Ontario. This means that if OHIP covers a benefit or service there is no expense to you. Learn about OHIP+
If OHIP does not cover your health care expense, your health insurance plan might pay all, or a portion of it. In most cases, the employer health, dental and life insurance benefits you had while working will end in retirement or when you reach age 65.
You can get the insurance you need through a partnership between MROO and Victor once your employer benefits end or when you find it is too expensive to pay your medical bills that OHIP doesn’t cover.
What MROO Can Offer
As a member of MROO, you and your spouse have access to five insurance plans from Victor:
• Health and Dental Care Benefits – Extended care insurance to cover what OHIP may miss
• RecoverEase Insurance – Protect yourself from unexpected expenses in the event of a serious illness/injury
• Life Insurance – Leave something extra for the people you care about or a charity
• Annual Travel Insurance – Medical coverage for unlimited trips of up to 30 to 180 days each year
• Individual Travel Insurance – Various plans available with Manulife for coverage just in Canada or worldwide
All of our plans are administered by Victor, a trusted MROO partner for more than 35 years. Together, we ensure that retiring employees have access to a comprehensive, sustainable insurance program.
Getting Started
It’ll only take 5 minutes—and if you need to, you can save your quote and come back to where you left off and enroll later.
What You Need to Know
Be retirement ready with more information about Victor and other benefits available to you.
How Victor is Different
- No age banding on health, dental, annual travel and RecoverEase insurance – our rates do not increase because of age, everyone pays the same price for the same benefits
- Once insured, you (and your spouse) can keep your health, dental and annual travel insurance for life
- Victor offers comprehensive insurance benefits and services not available through other retiree plans
Benefits to You
- Dental bills can be expensive but government assistance is available for low income seniors – Dental care for low-income seniors
- A very good resource for health and well-being programs and services can be found here – A Guide to Health and Wellbeing Programs and Services for Seniors
- Government and community services available to you: Assistive Devices Program, Home and Community Care Support Services, Long-term care settings in Ontario. You can also find government benefits and services at: Benefits Finder
- Government grants for seniors can include grants for housing – Housing benefits and Canadian Seniors Homeowner Grants: Show Me the Green
Educational Resources
- Preventive measures can be taken to stay healthy and avoid falls that result in injury – Exercise and Fall Prevention Programs
- Helpful information for new and existing Ontario residents on topics including health, housing, immigration and citizenship, employment, education, community, legal services, and general life – Information Newcomers Can Trust
Get complete plan information about MROO’s insurance coverage for members with Victor and enroll online at www.mrooinsurance.ca. You can also call Victor at 1-800-363-7861, or email them at mroo.ca@victorinsurance.com.
What our Members Say
“I feel like I’m in good health, but it was nice to know that I didn’t have to answer any medical questions to be approved for benefits since I was within the 90-day guaranteed acceptance window. And I didn’t have to go a day without health coverage. You never know what could happen when you least expect it!” - B. Powell, Niagara Falls, ON
This is your time.
Make sure you’re ready for retirement by completing our checklist, available here.
Learn More about Health and Dental Benefits for Retirees
OHIP Overview |
If you are a resident of Ontario, OHIP covers residents for medical services in hospitals, healthcare clinics and doctor’s offices. Benefits include diagnostics, surgeries, and services provided by a licensed physician that are considered medically necessary. OHIP also covers emergency medical services for travel which is limited. Out of province coverage is available up to the same limit OHIP pays in Ontario which is currently a maximum of $400 a day for in hospital care, and $50 for a doctor’s visit. We all know that if you have a medical emergency in another country the cost of care can be extremely high, often in the thousands of dollars for one medical event. OHIP recommends that you purchase private travel insurance to assist with the cost of medical emergencies when travelling. After your 65th birthday, OHIP offers some additional benefits.
OHIP pays for one eye exam every 12 months until September 1, 2023 when this benefit will change to one eye exam every 18 months. OHIP also pays for physiotherapy services after hospitalization. |
OHIP Limitations and Issues |
OHIP benefits are limited in scope and can change at any time. Government budgeting for healthcare only goes so far, each year, and priorities can change. For example, funding long-term care, staffing for doctors, and nursing care. Over the years OHIP has stopped offering some benefits that you might expect OHIP to cover. OHIP has delisted chiropractic services and PSA tests and has limited physiotherapy services and eye exams to residents over 65 and under 18 only. Suspending OHIP Benefits in the Past:
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When is the Best Time to Purchase Insurance? |
As soon as you retire? Not necessarily but rules for eligibility are important when thinking about your purchase. When you no longer have coverage under an employer group insurance plan through your employer or your spouse. If you are worried about the cost of paying for the benefits and services that were covered under your employer plan, you will want to purchase your own health Insurance plan to top up OHIP coverage. Choosing an effective date for your insurance plan that coincides with the termination date of your group plan maintains continuity in health care coverage. Note: After retirement, when your employer insurance ends you may be able to get coverage under your spouse’s employer healthcare plan. If so, you don’t need two plans you can wait to purchase insurance when that health insurance plan ends. Guaranteed acceptance at time of application: Keep in mind that most plans allow you to enroll without a medical within 60 days of losing your employer benefits. MROO actually has a 90-day window for guaranteed enrollment after losing coverage in any health insurance plan. When paying medical bills that aren’t covered by OHIP become unmanageable. If you find your health, dental and travel medical expenses become more than you expected to pay on an ad hoc basis, you will want to consider private insurance. The cost is in the form of a monthly premium for a comprehensive benefit package, which is a predictable and more manageable expense. Before you reach age 81. Most plans do not offer insurance beyond this age. |
How do You Find the Right Insurance Plan? |
There are many private insurance plans available, with many different options. It can be overwhelming and take some research to find a plan the right plan. Here are some things to consider when comparing plans: 1. Does the plan offer the benefits that are important to you? 2. Does the plan include the coverage you need? 3. Can I afford this plan now and throughout my retirement? 4. Can I keep my plan for life - and can my partner? 5. Where can I find a plan that’s right for me? Does the plan offer benefits that are important to you? And does it include benefits I don’t need? This question is important because you don’t want to pay for benefits you won’t use. For example, you need health insurance but not travel insurance. There are two ways you can purchase private health insurance; an all-inclusive plan that bundles health, dental and travel in one plan, or plans are available on a standalone basis - you can purchase only the plans you want - separately. Bundling has disadvantages: You can’t cancel only one benefit: Even if you want all of the coverage now - the downside of a bundled plan is that you can’t terminate any portion of the plan if you find that you don’t need it as you get older. For example, if you stop travelling, and travel and health are combined, you have to keep your travel coverage even though you won’t use it – and you will have to pay for it. Keep in mind that when a plan is bundled, your premium dollars may be going towards funding the cost of benefits for others.
Does the plan include the coverage I need? The benefits you will find in a private health care plan, age 50+, will be similar to those you had with your employer plan, however, the maximum annual limits for each benefit are generally lower to keep costs down. Most plans have similar coverage such as prescription drugs, hospital room, paraprofessional services such as chiropractic services or massage therapy, nursing care, medical equipment, vision care and ambulance services but they can vary in the amount of coverage offered. Consider just how much coverage you will use. Some plans offer higher limits than you might need. For example: the MROO plan has an annual maximum of $2400 per person in 2023. Other plans may offer a higher prescription drug annual maximum, but we know from experience that only 5% of our policyholders will ever claim more than our current maximum. We design our benefits to meet the needs of the majority of our policyholders in any given year. Health insurance plans have similar benefits, but there are some newer benefits available in the retiree marketplace that might be valuable to you and you will want to look for them. Mental health is something most plans are addressing in their benefits. This year MROO has added social worker to our psychologist benefit because those services are easier to access and more cost effective than a psychologist for our policyholders. Price is important. You will want to get the most value you can for your premium dollar. |
How About Virtual Healthcare? |
Virtual health services have become very popular during COVID and this is a trend that we expect to continue. This is something to look for in a health care plan. If you have an insurance plan now or you are shopping for one, it should include the service for virtual health care. Most plans do now. It’s convenient and safe and you can avoid waiting rooms, travel and parking. You should know that physicians support virtual health care and does not conflict with OHIP services in any way. Here are some of the highlights of the Maple virtual health service that MROO offers: Maple provides for quick access to communicate with a licensed physician 24/7 online, rather than in person. Other plans usually only have a nurse practitioner on call. You can use the service anytime, and anywhere, even out of country (consultation only). We already know how expensive it is paying for medical services out of Canada. Depending on the severity of your medical emergency, you can use Maple to consult with a physician who is able to assess your condition before you consider a visit to a doctor or clinic – which may not be necessary. Most Maple visits are for a quick consult and/or to renew a prescription. And a special service offer by Maple is their centralized medical record keeping. Maple coordinates with your family physician so that your health care records are consolidated. This is helpful as we continue to need to advocate for our own health care needs. |
Is the MROO Insurance Plan Competitive in the Marketplace for Seniors? What about future Pricing? |
Plan premiums generally increase year over year due to inflation, claims experience and when benefits are enhanced. When researching plans, ask how much rates increased in the last 5-10 years to see the rate history and/or take a look at the average rate increase on the plans you want to purchase.
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Age Banding – Plans that Go up in Price Every 5 years Because of Age |
Age is a big factor in determining health insurance premiums. Most plans price their insurance in five-year age bands, for example 60-65, so your insurance rates go up every five years after your birthday. You pay more for the same insurance as younger plan members due to age. This is problematic particularly if you are living on a limited income. Likely you will need health care more as you age and you shouldn’t have to pay more just to keep your insurance.
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Does the Plan have a Termination Date? |
Some plans end or limit coverage at a certain age or they do not offer all insurance coverage for life, for example dental and/or travel coverage. It is important to know that most insurance plans are only offered up to age 80 so if your insurance ends at that age you will not be able to get health insurance for the remainder of your life and when you need it most as you are aging. Some plans end benefits for spouses or family members when the eligible plan member dies. In other plans, if the policyholder passes away, coverage for the surviving spouse may only continue for a year or two. Lifetime coverage for retirees & spouses is very important and you should look for a plan that offers coverage for life. MROO offers benefits for life for you and your spouse. |
What Kind of Insurance Plans Do You Offer and Where do I Find Them? |
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Who Does What? (Insurance companies, advisors, claims, administration) |
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Peace of Mind – Enrollment |
The bottom line is that you want a plan that will help to pay for the things that you need, as well as be there to help with unexpected costs. MROO’s insurance plan is slightly different from other plans for seniors: Specifically designed for OMERS retirees Rates are not age or health related same rates for everyone in the same plan Quick and easy online enrollment 24/7 You can apply for insurance anytime between ages 50 and 81 Once you are enrolled in any MROO plan you can keep it for life When OHIP delists benefits MROO looks to add them to our plan You and your spouse can enroll when you lose your employer benefits together or separately And you and your spouse can keep your benefits for life |